‘Noted,’ he smirks, and I curse myself internally for being so transparent. I blame the broken leg. It’s thrown me off my game. ‘I was looking for you actually to ask if you had any recommendations for riding schools. My boy, he’s eleven now, wants to give it a go. Follow in the footsteps of the great Sawyer Nash.’ His eyes dart down to my leg andhe snorts. ‘Though I’d rather not deal with the medical bills for a broken leg.’
‘Don’t blame you,’ I laugh out.
Noah reaches out to poke me and suggests, ‘Why don’t you teach him here? You could start your own school.’
The gaps where he’s lost a few teeth are even more prominent as he smiles at me, excited by his sudden idea. But he’s not considering the future—in a few months I’ll be out of here again. Maybe if I had something to keep me in Willow Ridge, if I was like everyone else making families, I’d have a reason to stay, and then yeah—a bull-riding school on Lucky Star would be pretty cool. I sure would’ve liked having one when I grew up. Had to rely on the ranchers to teach me.
But that kind of life has never been on the cards for me. Even if it would make coming back to this place easier. Would give me some purpose while I’m out of bull riding too …
‘That’s not a bad idea, kid,’ Gus says, pulling me back from my thoughts and making Noah blush a little at the praise. ‘If you ever do start teaching, let me know. Think it’d go down well with the town. And looks like you’ve already got your first student lined up.’
‘Thought I might find you here.’ Honey’s voice is just about loud enough over Noah’s squealing as he chases after Kentucky who has the tennis ball we’ve been throwing about for the last half hour in her mouth.
It’s barely mid-morning yet, but after a few rounds onthe bull-riding dummy, and checking in with some more ranchers, Noah spotted Kentucky and insisted we go play, high spirits carrying him off. I wonder if he’s releasing all the energy he’s pent up when he’s at school and keeps more to himself, like Honey says. Regardless, despite being knackered and really needing to rest my leg, I’ve discovered I’m a weak man when it comes to Noah so here we are, playing fetch with Kentucky and Trixie. Thought we better stay here so Honey doesn’t get woken up by a cow running about the house. Though, seeing her eyes go comically wide at the sight again sure would be entertaining.
I pivot on my crutches to find Honey resting against the fence of the corral, hair pulled loosely into a braid, while she wears tight jeans and an oversized knitted sweater, a scarf wrapped around her shoulders to protect her from the added chill too. Swathes of clouds fill the sky today, only small tendrils of sunshine peeking through, yet she still glistens all the same, baby blues alight.
They bounce about the corral, assessing the scene, and I can’t get a read on whether she’s glad or unimpressed with me taking Noah out. I did leave her a note in the kitchen at least. But the need to please her has my hands fidgeting, so I ask, ‘Wanna join?’
‘Oh, um …’ She’s already shaking her head.
I quickly turn to Noah and hold my hands out when I see he’s finally wrestled the ball from Kentucky’s mouth. ‘Noah, over here!’
He throws it over to me, and I catch it with one hand just before it hits the ground, then I twist and toss it straight to Honey, hollering, ‘Catch!’
Kentucky and Trixie run after the ball whistling throughthe air, and Honey has no choice but to jump up and grab it before it hurtles beyond her. There’s a brief flicker of light in her eyes and I cock my head towards us, beckoning her into the corral.
‘Just a simple game of catch, Blue. Come on in.’
‘Come play with us, Momma!’ Noah shouts too.
Honey rolls the ball in her hands, considering it, eyes flicking up several times to check where I’m stood. Then, with a growing smile, she opens the gate and slips inside, and my heart rate suddenly picks up—because the pretty girl wants to play with me.
Honey aims the ball as if she’s going to throw it to me and I ready myself to catch—but then she fakes her footing and launches it past me, straight to Noah as she yells, ‘Noah, catch it!’
‘Woah!’ I cry out with confusion, turning to find Noah grabbing the ball from the ground where he missed it. He teasingly shakes it at me. ‘You can’t gang up on me—I’ve got a broken leg!’
‘Go cry about it to someone who cares,’ Honey gives back, her eyes immediately flashing with shock at her own attitude. She rolls her lips at me innocently but the way it makes my eyes home in on her mouth feels too taunting. I have to rip my eyes away.
‘Yeah, Sawyer. Go cry about it!’ Noah parrots, shouting at the top of his lungs. Even Trixie barks in a way that sounds scarily like she’s laughing at me.
‘What the fuck, Noah? I thought we were friends!’ I fling my hands in the air with disbelief, then immediately smack my head for letting that cuss word slip.
‘Bad word!’ Noah wields a mischievous grin, mimickinghis mom’s stance where she presses her fists to her hips, unimpressed at me swearing in front of her kid.
I wave them off and promise, ‘I’ll put a dollar in the swear jar when we’re back.’
Honey just rolls her eyes, but her smile is instantly back.
‘Momma, catch!’ Noah pitches the ball back to Honey, which I could easily intercept, but purposefully fail to, and Honey jumps into the air to grab it. Trixie runs towards her, while Kentucky has completely lost all interest in the game and just dashes around the corral like she’s never been out in the open before.
I spin on my crutches, focusing on where Honey passes the ball between her hands, warily watching me.
‘I’m coming for you, Blue!’ I yell, Noah’s maniacal giggles pouring out behind me when I start hopping over to Honey.
‘Not a chance!’ she calls back, picking up her feet and starting to run away. But with my upper body strength and longer legs, even on my crutches I eat up the space between us quicker than she expects. And when she notices, she beams even brighter and slows her steps, almost like she wants me to reach her.Touchher.
‘Sawyer’s gonna get you, Momma!’ Noah yells just as I stretch my arm out to grab Honey’s sweater.